Lewes farmers market to honor food assistance benefits Nov. 1

The Historic Lewes Farmers Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Lewes Elementary School parking lot, 820 Savannah Road, Lewes.

Customers will find varieties of beets, squash, radishes, cabbage, collard greens, kale, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, lettuces, apples, turnips, eggplants, radicchio, mizuna, arugula, microgreens, kohlrabi, sweet and hot peppers, seasonal soups, oysters, live crabs, hand-picked crabmeat, grass-fed chicken, beef, pork, mushrooms, honey, jams and jellies, fresh-laid eggs, coffee drinks, kombucha, apple cider, cold-pressed juices, fresh-baked breads, pastries made with fruit from market farmers, gluten-free offerings, apple cider donuts, beautiful cut-flower bouquets, pumpkin centerpieces and much more. Customers can also preorder their fresh, free-range Thanksgiving turkeys from Mahon River Farm as well as holiday hams from Enoch Farms. 

The HLFM is producer-only, so customers are able to buy directly from the farmers who grow the produce.

The market typically processes payments from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and Women, Infants and Children Program benefits. With the hold on SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, the market will provide all customers who have a SNAP card $20 in HLFM Bonus Bucks tokens to spend at the market, without the need for a match with their benefits. The HLFM will offer this additional assistance through the Saturday, Dec. 6 holiday market at the end of its season.

Customers may go to the SNAP tent inside the market for volunteers to process remaining SNAP/EBT benefits and give $20 in HLFM Bonus Bucks tokens that can be used at the market. Customers must present their SNAP card at the tent to receive the tokens.

In the SNAP tent, customers can also find a list of 17 local-area food pantries that receive food from small farmers through the HLFM Farm to Community Program for additional assistance. Pantry names, addresses, phone numbers and hours will be provided on the list.

Patrons should note that dogs and other pets (except for service animals) are not permitted inside the market area, in order to ensure the safety of customers, vendors and volunteers.

Organizers encourage customers to bike or walk to the market if able; the entrance for walkers and bikers is off Savannah Road. Parking is available in the school's bus loop parking lot off Sussex Drive, with coned-off accessible parking spaces in the section closest to the market. Customers may also use the Fred Thomas Middle School parking lot. Beebe Healthcare generously allows market customers to park in its outside parking lot, and there is parking available at George H.P. Smith Park, a short walk away along the path to Lewes Elementary School.

Upcoming special events at the market include Customer Appreciation Day Saturday, Nov. 8, with free brownie bites, apple cider and more. Visitors are encouraged to bring donations and make market purchases Nov. 15 and 22 for the HLFM Annual Food and Essentials Drive. Nov. 22 is also the Thanksgiving Market, and then after a Saturday off, Dec. 6 ends the season with a special Holiday Market.

For more information, including market maps and vendor listings, what each vendor is bringing to market, and chef demonstrations and events, join the HLFM weekly newsletter list by emailing info@historiclewesfarmersmarket.org and go to historiclewesfarmersmarket.org.